Team 888poker Heads to Barcelona
The guarantee for the first 888Live Main Event in London back in November last year was $250,000, but that was bolstered to $280,291 by the end of registration.
February’s visit to Rozvadov was even more spectacular, with the $320,000 guarantee smashed and an incredible $439,419 in the prize pool for everyone who finished in the money.
But 888poker is being even more ambitious across 12 days of tournament poker at the 888Live Barcelona Festival, with over €700,000 on offer at Gran Casino de Barcelona.
One player who will be chomping at the bit for action to begin is Catalin Pop, who took down the 888Live Main Event in Rozvadov, meaning he also won a seat to the Barcelona showpiece. He has this advice for other hopefuls.
"Have patience, be aggressive, and don't be afraid to bust," he said to 888poker.
888Live’s arrival ahead of the summer season is going to inspire professional players to win big and bolster their ‘Vegas fund’ just like it will motivate lower stakes players to qualify for as little as $0.01 via 888poker.com.
The festival will be well attended by 888Poker Ambassadors Bruno Politano, Kara Scott, Dominik Nitsche, Bruno Kawauti, Nicolau Villa Lobos, Sofia Lovgren and Natalie Hof. Each one of them is looking forward to running deep in the Main Event.
Barcelona isn’t just well-known for poker tournaments. It is one of the most diverse cultural centers in Europe, with history and beauty abounding in Barcelona.
While there are always a number of fun ways to pass the time, with blue skies and golden sun-kissed beaches practically guaranteed, Barcelona has a rich history.
The works of Antoni Gaudi are sure to inspire, and with Barcelona Cathedral and the stunning Casa Milà on your doorstep, there are sights to see that don’t involve a casino on your dinner break.
Barcelona is also famed for its many museums, so don’t miss out if you get the chance to visit them during your stay.
Swedish pro Sofia Lovgren is already excited to be heading to the city.
“The Barcelona Festival is great for both recreational and professional players...It’s the perfect time to hang out with poker friends, catch some sun and make a deep run just before the WSOP!” she said to 888poker.
Lovgren’s thoughts are echoed by online poker’s most successful tournament player of all-time, 888Poker ambassador Chris Moorman.
“I think the 888live events are great tournaments for all types of players," he said to 888poker. "They feature a range of buy-ins and a good mix of participants from beginners to seasoned pros. I believe the 888live events have a much more relaxed environment surrounding them at the table as the buy-ins are more affordable for players. As a result, they are much more fun to play in, and everyone at the table manages to have a great time.”
Natalie Hof was also in London and Rozvadov, so she hopes to make the third time lucky and bag the Main Event trophy.
“As an 888ambassador I’ve participated in both London and Rozvadov and we definitely made it big," she said. "I would honestly recommend these festivals to anyone due to having both lower and higher buy-ins in all festivals. I can’t wait for Barcelona in May, it’s a wonderful place for playing poker and hanging by the beach if you bust is a win-win situation.”
Kara Scott will be using success in Barcelona’s Main Event as a springboard for more trophies later down the line.
“I'm going to use Barcelona as my warmup and absolutely try to take it down. London feels like home turf to me, and I've done well there in the other two 888poker Main Events I've played, even coming third in the first I played with an 888poker patch on, so it feels like mine.”
Bruno Politano declared that he “...will win Barcelona for sure. Main Event first place.”
Not to be defeated pre-tournament, fellow Brazilian Nicolau Villa-Lobos told fans that he's always had a great connection with Barcelona, so this might be the one for him.
Bruno Kawauti was a little more realistic about his plan and had some positive words for players who may not have experienced live poker before.
“I plan on winning the Main and the High Roller, but will probably spew in the High Roller and win the Main Event," Kawauti said. "The way that 888poker treats the players is different than any other place I played in. The qualifiers really feel at home. Every time I play an 888 tournament, I feel like the company is closer to the players than other companies.””
The 888Live Festival May 11 through May 22 comes on the back of what is sure to be a very busy 888Live Kings Festival in Rozvadov.
You can check out the full tournament schedule here. The cash game action is likely to be off the chart in one of the most popular poker tourist destinations in Europe.
